Russia Gospel Surge ‘Is COVID Silver Lining’ As Thousands Hear About Christ from Christian News Journal
Russian Christians going door-to-door in the bitter cold reached thousands more children and families with the Gospel over the past few months than ever before — largely because of COVID-19.
Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association’s (SGA, www.sga.org) Christ Over COVID campaign and Immanuel’s Child Christmas outreach helped Russian Christians and their local evangelical churches bring hope to tens of thousands amid the ongoing pandemic — including 25 percent more non-churchgoing children than before COVID-19.
“In God’s providence, COVID is actually opening doors for the Gospel in Russia and the former Soviet Union,” said SGA president Michael Johnson. “At their wit’s end, many people are asking: ‘Is there any hope?’ Then their Christian neighbors show up on the doorstep with food, gifts for the children, Bibles, and the life-transforming message that Jesus loves them.”
Now is your chance to support Gospel News Network.
We love helping others and believe that’s one of the reasons we are chosen as Ambassadors of the Kingdom, to serve God’s children. We look to the Greatest Commandment as our Powering force.
In recent months, those local Christians — partnering with SGA — have delivered free groceries supplying a staggering three million meals and distributed Christmas gifts, Bibles and “Jesus Loves You” Star of Bethlehem ornaments to nearly 40,000 children.
Growing up in the shadow of communism, many Russians are skeptical of religion. But, Johnson says, the combination of Christian compassion and the power of the Gospel in action “is melting even the hardest and most frozen of hearts.”
The pandemic has ravaged Russia and the former Soviet Union, causing unemployment and hunger to soar. There are also reports of a new Russian variant of the virus.
Children Hear Gospel For First Time
“The news is very troubling, but the ‘silver lining’ is that Russian churches partnering with SGA were able to reach 25 percent more non-churchgoing children over the past year — children who’ve never been to church or heard the Gospel before,” Johnson said.
Because members of a local church showed they cared about her, 10-year-old Dasha started going to a Bible Club and brought her friends with her. Three of the girls committed their lives to Christ.
